Airtran Airways Announces Partnership With Desire Street Ministries

Airtran Airways Announces Partnership With Desire Street Ministries

Strategic Alliance Begins With Day of Fun in Orlando for Underprivileged Children

ATLANTA – AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI) and Desire Street Ministries (DSM) recently announced a strategic partnership to aid people in need around the Southeast.

The partnership officially kicks off this week (Thursday, July 30) with AirTran flying 43 people from Atlanta to Orlando to enjoy a day of fun at Walt Disney World. The majority of travelers are urban youth who participated in summer camp at Summerhill Community Ministries, an inner-city ministry in greater Atlanta, and one of DSM’s partners.

“We are so pleased to be able to help those that are less fortunate in the communities we serve,” said Bob Fornaro, AirTran Airways' chairman, president and chief executive officer. “We believe in the work Desire Street is doing and look forward to a long and meaningful partnership with them.”

In addition to providing an unforgettable day for these children, the trip will help connect the leaders of three urban ministries – Summerhill Community Ministries (Atlanta), Parker Street Ministries (Lakeland, Fla.), and Desire Street Ministries (Decatur, Ga.; New Orleans, La.; Baton Rouge, La.). By networking together, leaders of these three groups will share lessons learned in their community development efforts, discuss solutions to shared challenges and encourage each other in the mission of community transformation.

“We are thrilled about our growing partnership with AirTran. We are grateful for their generosity and their commitment to serve their community,” said DSM Executive Director, Danny Wuerffel. “This experience will be very special for our youth. Many have never left the city of Atlanta, much less traveled on an airplane or visited Disney World.”

About DSM
Desire Street Ministries’ mission is to train and send leaders to revitalize impoverished neighborhoods through spiritual and community development. The organization provides technical support and encouragement to other urban ministries. This vision of “Ministry Replication” focuses on helping passionate inner-city leaders develop the capacity to really transform their communities. DSM offers ongoing mentoring for urban leaders, specialized coaching/training, fundraising assistance, business management assistance, and also funding support.

About AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI) and a Fortune 1000 company, has been ranked the number one low cost carrier in the Airline Quality Rating study for the past two years. AirTran is the only major airline with Gogo inflight Internet on every flight and offers coast-to-coast service on North America’s newest all-Boeing fleet. Its low-cost, high-quality product also includes assigned seating, Business Class and complimentary XM Satellite Radio on every flight. To book a flight, visit www.airtran.com.

Desire Street Ministries Contact:
Sara Pace, 866.633.0070, space@desirestreet.org
John Crossman, 407-581-6218, jcrossman@crossmanco.com

AirTran Airways Contact:
Christopher White, Cynthia Tinsley-Douglas, 678-254-7442